Protester holding a sign that says ''I Am a Dreamer. You Can't Deport Ideals.''

As DACA Heads to the Supreme Court, the Future of Young Immigrants Hangs in the Balance

For seven years, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program has provided temporary protection to undocumented immigrants who were brought to the US as children. Now, the future of these young people (aka Dreamers) is at stake as the Supreme Court gets ready to hear oral arguments about DACA’s legality.

DACA was created in 2012 by then-President Barack Obama through executive order, and in 2017, President Donald Trump moved to terminate it.

How Did We Get Here?

To be clear, the question the Supreme Court is hearing is not whether the Trump administration can legally stop the program (because, well, they can). It’s about how they went about terminating it.

Legally, the executive branch can make these kinds of decisions, but it has to provide a reasoning behind them. When the Trump administration announced its intent to end DACA, the memo they released simply stated that the program was unconstitutional, without pointing to any specific policy.

The lower courts decided that the Trump administration didn’t provide strong enough grounds to end DACA, but the Supreme Court has the final say.

What Happens Now?

There are basically three potential outcomes.

1) The Supreme Court could affirm the lower courts’ decision. DACA would stand, but a revised memo could change that.

2) The Supreme Court could decide that the memo was enough. Trump can end DACA, but a future president may bring it back.

3) The Supreme Court could decide that DACA is illegal. Not only can Trump end DACA, no future president may ever implement a similar policy.

Oh Wow, That’s A Lot

Seriously. We won’t know the Supreme Court’s decision until 2020, but whatever happens, it’ll have a big impact on the nearly 700,000 Dreamers who rely on DACA to live, work, and attend school in the country they were raised in (and for most, the only country they really know).

That’s why thousands of students across the country held school walkouts in support of DACA. In their words, they’re undocumented, unstoppable, and unafraid.

Take Action: Stand with Dreamers. Sign this statement of support for DACA, and join the conversation in person and online with #HomeIsHere.

“Try[ing] to Depressurize Instagram”: Like Counts Will Be Hidden on Some US Accounts

For a while now, Instagram has been trying to make the app a little easier on its users’ mental health. Most recently, the company announced that it’ll start hiding public like counts for some US accounts this week.

The hidden like counts have previously been tested in other countries, including Canada, Italy, Japan, and Brazil. By hiding likes, Instagram hopes to reduce the pressure on users to compete with one another for high like counts.

This move is a pretty big one coming from a platform that’s been ranked as the worst for young people’s mental health. Social media anxiety is a very real thing — it’s hard not to compare yourself to others online and tie your self-worth to the way your posts perform.

The reaction to the decision has been mixed. Some celebs and influencers (like Kim Kardashian) are on board for the potential mental health benefits, but others aren’t so happy.

Take Action: It’s a bold move, but one that will (hopefully) make the internet a little kinder. You can also spread positivity online with these 8 tips.

Protester holding signs for the Sunrise Movement

The Sunrise Movement Is Mobilizing Young People to Climate Action With the Power of Twitter

While corporations and politicians have big bucks to spend on social media ads (and their own hot takes about who should be allowed to do so), the Sunrise Movement managed to make climate action go viral with the power of young people — not the power of money.

The Sunrise Movement is “a movement to stop climate change and create millions of good jobs in the process.” They push for divestment from fossil fuels and adoption of a Green New Deal. Most of their members are in their teens and 20s, and the group was started by students and recent college graduates who wanted climate to be front and center in the public eye and within the 2020 election.

From high-profile statements from politicians to headline-grabbing protests, it’s safe to say they’ve achieved their goal.

And they got here through organic engagement on social media. They post memes and call out politicians, tapping into the frustration of the generation most affected by climate change. Their estimated 80,000 members are a testament to the power of young people when they’re allowed to organize and grow on their own terms.

Take Action: Join Sunrise Movement in striking for climate on November 29 and December 6. Find a strike near you.

“Race intertwines with daily stress we suffer from when dealing with friends, family, co-workers and acquaintances. Seeing a Black therapist
allows me to be comfortable and not feel like I have to speak with trepidation.” University of New Hampshire student Khaaliq Crowder on what it’s like to live with a mental illness as a Black college student

Why aren’t more people talking about… how this Catholic high school forced a student into counselling for being gay without telling her parents?

Meanwhile, in Guatemala… this town decreased its water pollution by 90% by going completely plastic-free.

My hero today is… 21-year-old O’Plerou Grebet from Ivory Coast who created West African-inspired emojis.

My *other* heroes today are… the students who staged a walkout after a gay classmate said their school threatened to out her to her parents.

Today in viral cuteness… this hedgehog packs its tiny bags and goes camping in a photoshoot.

Some bonus viral cuteness… Rocky the pitbull gets scolded for stealing a tamale. (Props to Rocky for knowing not to eat the husk.)

I’m obsessed with… MIT’s mini cheetah robots. They wiggle and walk and play soccer, and it’s almost...cute? Kinda makes me a little more on board for the robot uprising that I’m sure is in our future.